Abstract
The iris gelechiid has been known as a pest of Iris ensata THUNB. var. ensata (THUNB.) in Shizuoka Prefecture. Recently, the damage of iris plant by the same species has been observed in Kyôto. The larvae go through five instars in the field. First to 3rd instar larvae mine the leaves, and the 4th and 5th instar larvae usually feed on all the leaf-tissues, living among the leaves. Mature larvae abandon the injured leaves to make the pupal chambers with circular exits for adult emergence in the new leaves. Adults occur twice a year, those of the first generation emerging from late May to early July and those of the second generation from late August to early September. Adult females are able to survive approximately two weeks under laboratory conditions and lay about one hundred eggs in total. Hibernation takes place in the 2nd to 4th instar larvae of the second generation.
